Bills Make Multiple Moves In Early NFL Free Agency Period

The Buffalo Bills aren’t exactly doing a lot of spending – yet. As the legal tampering window got underway, the primary news coming out of Buffalo had more to do with financial gymnastics than it was about adding players at positions of need.

Brandon Beane and the Buffalo front office have plenty of work left to do, but let’s look into the news that we’ve heard from Orchard Park.

Bills Bring Back Multiple Veteran Contributors

After releasing multiple veterans last week, including fan favorites and longtime staples like Jordan Poyer, Tre’Davious White, and Mitch Morse, Buffalo got to work bringing back some of their own free agents. A.J. Epenesa and Dion Dawkins got contract extensions, while DaQuan Jones and Cam Lewis re-signed with two-year deals.

Wide Receiver Gabe Davis Signs With Jacksonville In Free Agency

The expectation that Gabe Davis would leave in free agency was realized when the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him to a three-year, $39 million contract. That’s a number that Buffalo was never going to be able to approach with their cap situation.

Buffalo has yet to sign a wide receiver in what looks to be a pretty weak wide receiver market. Holding a slew of draft picks in a very deep receiver class, Buffalo could be eying the draft to infuse their wide receiver room with young talent.

Safety Jordan Poyer Signs with the Miami Dolphins

Josh Allen Contract Restructured To Get Under Salary Cap

One of the most notable obstacles that Buffalo faced this offseason was getting under the salary cap. They entered the offseason well over the threshold, resulting in the release of multiple players, but the front office and superstar quarterback Josh Allen reached an agreement to restructure his contract to meet that goal.

Bills Sign Free Agent Linebacker Nicholas Morrow

So far, Buffalo has made three external free-agent signings. They’ve brought back a pair of familiar faces in Mitchell Trubisky to serve as Allen’s backup and punter Matt Haack, and added veteran linebacker Nicholas Morrow.

Morrow is a valuable depth piece to a linebacker group that endured plenty of injuries last year. He has six years of experience and started 12 games for the Eagles last year, wearing the green communication dot during that time. Morrow has some coverage ability and will be a valuable asset as the LB3 on the depth chart behind Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard.

What Does This Mean For Buffalo?

Buffalo still needs help at safety, along the defensive line, on the interior of the offensive line, and at wide receiver – all of which were positions of need last week. Nothing there has changed.

There are still players on the market that Buffalo could be interested in. Starting free safety is one of the biggest holes on the defensive side of the ball, and free agent Justin Simmons would provide a veteran presence at the back of the secondary. Simmons has a quick trigger and can fly downhill to the ball, and recorded three interceptions last year. In a conference where the Bills are seemingly always chasing the Chiefs, Simmons happens to check another box – no player in the NFL has picked off Patrick Mahomes more than Simmons.

No matter how the rest of free agency goes for Buffalo, eyes have to be looking forward to the draft. With 11 picks, Beane has a lot of flexibility to fill out the rest of this roster, including having ammunition to move up if there are players that he has circled on his big board